On my desk is a post-it note that reads: Be Better Than Yesterday. I look at this quite often. One of the great temptations in our work is to coast. Actually, this is one of the great temptations of life. People who coast have figured out a way to do life with little effort. We… Continue reading Ministry Inside.144
Category: Ministry Inside
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Each Thursday I write this post with church leaders in mind. No matter where you serve, you can contribute to your congregation’s health by the way you behave and function within the congregation. No, you don’t necessarily have control over whether or not your congregation is healthy. However, it is important for any church leader… Continue reading Ministry Inside.142
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I’ve made mistakes. Actually I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I do continue to learn. Recently I was thinking about some of the mistakes that I’ve made that I’m aware of and have tried to grow from. I have identified five mistakes that I’ve made through the years. I have attempted to address each one,… Continue reading Ministry Inside.140
Ministry Inside.139
On Thursdays, I generally write a post for church leaders. Much of the time, however, this is applicable to Christians in general. I have done many funerals. These funerals have been for infants, older people, and all ages in between. I done funerals for those who died after a slow, lingering illness. I have… Continue reading Ministry Inside.139
Ministry Inside.138
Every Thursday, I write with church leaders in mind. Yet, this particular post probably speaks to many of us, regardless of how we serve. Let’s think for a moment about self-consciousness. When I was in high school (yes, this was a long time ago) a photographer came to our campus to take picture of our… Continue reading Ministry Inside.138
Ministry Inside.137
Most church leaders I know work hard. You may serve as a preacher, elder, or some other kind of role as a Christian servant. I suspect you want to be effective, you want to make a difference, and you are trying to carry out your ministry in the best way you know how. Yet, you… Continue reading Ministry Inside.137
Ministry Inside.136
A number of years ago, I spent three days and two nights at “The Quiet House.” This is a retreat cottage hidden away in the Texas Hill Country on the Laity Lodge property. This little cottage is secluded. It is surrounded by live oaks, cedar trees, and deer that come and go. I went there… Continue reading Ministry Inside.136
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In January of this year (2014), I began working as Vice President of Harding School of Theology in Memphis, Tn. This was quite a change after 36 years of congregational ministry. For most of those years I worked with churches in Florence, Ala., Kansas City, Mo., and most recently in Waco, Tx. The change in… Continue reading Ministry Inside.135
Ministry Inside.135
I was two years old when this picture was taken. My parents had just moved to Dallas from Little Rock. Of course, I don’t remember this moment. Nevertheless, this picture means a lot to me. At that moment my parents were a young couple who had moved to a big city with their two year old.… Continue reading Ministry Inside.135
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I want to suggest a way of learning that I have practiced for many years. For the last 35 years, I have learned from a variety of people by simply asking questions. These are questions that I have thought about in advance. My goal is to glean something helpful from these individuals. What I wish… Continue reading Ministry Inside.134